Who We Are
CLC Lubricants is a family-owned and customer-oriented manufacturer of industrial fluids. Our team of highly experienced employees and advanced testing capabilities ensures the highest degree of customer service and satisfaction. Schedule a free lubrication consultation or contact us to see what it is like to be a part of the CLC family.
Creating Solutions Since 1976
CLC Lubricants manufactures industrial lubricants and metalworking fluids for a diversified industry, including machine shops, screw machine shops, fastener manufacturers, injection molders, extruders, drawing and stamping plants, EDM facilities and heat treaters.
Founded in Addison, IL in 1976 by Joseph W. O’Brien, Sr., CLC Lubricants Company grew from its original 2,500 sq. ft. facility to a 5,000 sq. ft. building. A few years later, another 5,000 sq. ft. facility was added. In 1985, CLC purchased a 27,000 sq. ft. plant and office which it now occupies in Geneva, IL.
In 2025, CLC was acquired by BECHEM Lubrication Technology, a global leader in specialty lubricants and the oldest specialty lubricant manufacturer in Germany.
CLC Lubricants’ state-of-the-art laboratory enables it to create custom-blended formulations for many special applications.
Located in Geneva, IL, CLC Lubricants is ISO 9001:2015 certified, which assures our customers that our quality management system holds up to rigorous international standards. The company also has been designated a “Master Distributor of Lubriplate Greases”.
CLC Lubricants’ history continues with a tremendous staff, innovative chemistry, proven product quality and outstanding customer service!
Our Team
Meet some of the individuals that spearhead the efforts of CLC to provide outstanding products and services to our family of customers.
Steve Puffpaff
President
As President of BECHEM’s North American operations, Steve has joined CLC as it’s new President after BECHEM acquired CLC in 2025. Steve has served as a senior leader in several Lubricants companies for over 20 years, and has diverse experience in all areas of the Lubricants industry. He graduated with a BS in Chemical Engineering from Michigan State University in 1991 and obtained an MBA from Kellogg School of Management in 2002. When he has free time, Steve enjoys travelling extensively with his family.
Michael O’Brien
Vice President of Metalworking Sales
A second-generation owner of CLC, Michael continues the legacy of customer-oriented industrial fluid manufacturing his father started in 1976. Michael is excited and proud to see his family business become the first US manufacturing site for BECHEM Lubrication Technology, opening the door to expanded product offerings and technologies, while building on the CLC/BECHEM shared values. Graduating with a B.S. in Business Administration in 1986, Michael now takes on the position of VP of Metalworking Sales. A father of four and grandfather of two, he enjoys cycling with friends and family, and home renovation projects. His attentiveness to family shows in his approachability and eagerness to help our customers overcome their challenges.
Karen O’Brien
Office Manager
Graduating summa cum laude with a degree in Computer Science in 1985, Karen has 17 years of experience working in IT. A mother of four, she has been with CLC Lubricants since 2015, where she works diligently to ensure office operations are optimized to allow us to be an extensive and efficient resource for our customers.
Bob Pakula
Purchasing Manager
As Purchasing Manager, Bob is responsible for ensuring that our customers receive the timely service and high quality products CLC is known for. With a degree in business and over 40 years of manufacturing experience, Bob has the knowledge necessary to ensure operational excellence.
Ryan Hamilton
Laboratory Manager
Ryan has over 20 years of experience in the chemical industry, with 10 of those years spent testing and formulating lubricants and metalworking products. His favorite part of the job is using his technical knowledge to provide solutions for customers. It is very rewarding to build a product that exceeds the customer’s expectation.
Ben Pomeroy
Operations Manager
Ben has been a part of the CLC team since 2018. He became the Operations Manager in 2025. Ben graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree from NIU in 2016, and earned the APICS CPIM certification in 2022. When he is at home, Ben enjoys listening to music, birdwatching, running, and spending time with his wife Sarah, son Isaac, and dog Maisy.
John Stelmach
Controller
As Controller, John is responsible for the company’s financial compliance and statutory reporting, accounting, cash management, pricing, and financial planning and analysis.
With a more than 40-year career rooted in finance, accounting, and business management, John’s tenure with the company began in 2015. With his hands-on involvement in all facets of company operations, and as a member of the management team, he enjoys surrounding himself with a team of exceptional and dedicated employees working together to strategically grow the company.
John earned his BS – Finance and Accounting from the University of Illinois and a Masters of Management from Northwestern University J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management.
Account Manager
John has been with CLC Lubricants Inc. for over 13 years. He studied at University of California – Davis and also at University of Illinois – Chicago. He is a proud member of TMA (Tooling & Manufacturing Association). John enjoys bass fishing not only with his son, but also several clients!
Account Manager
Doug has over 20 years of experience in the metalworking industry. Ever since working at a small-town sporting goods store in High School he has wanted to be involved in sales. Doug works for his customers and always treats their businesses like his own.
Account Manager
Brett has over 5 years of experience in industrial sales, vendor managed inventory supply chain solutions, and customer service. Throughout his career, Brett’s goal has been to forge ongoing partnerships with his customers by providing firsthand service to meet and address their individual needs & concerns.
Alex Small
Account Manager
Alex was born and raised in Brunswick, Maine. He is a 2022 magna cum laude graduate of Xavier University double majoring in Marketing and Data Analytics. Alex has worked with Wisconsin and Lake County, Illinois manufacturers on behalf of CLC Lubricants since September 2022.
What Our Customers Think
-Bill-
“Doug was extremely helpful getting me set up in our new tool shop. It has been over 20 years since I was a machinist, so I relied on him to provide me what I needed to get things up and running. Doug came to Logoplaste a couple of times to help me get mixtures right and test some samples for us. I am looking forward to working with Doug & CLC in many other areas of Logoplaste nation-wide.”
-Melissa-
"It is a pleasure doing business with CLC. The sales team is highly knowledgeable about metalworking fluids and their applications. John Howard is always available to provide valuable feedback and support as a critical supplier for us. The inside customer support staff is exceptional to work with. They are always professional and courteous and go above and beyond to meet their customer's needs."
We Can Help You!
Whatever your application-specific challenges may be, CLC has the expertise and experience to help. As a custom blender of industrial fluids, we are committed to not only offering the best in class product lines for general use, but also to developing new products designed in our laboratory specifically to overcome our customers’ challenges. Contact us to learn more about how we can help you reach your production goals.